The subject matter disclosed herein relates to gas turbine generators, and more particularly, to systems and methods for stabilizing power output by a low-inertia generator.
Gas turbine engines may include, in serial flow arrangement, a compressor for compressing air flowing through the engine, a combustor in which fuel is mixed with the compressed air and ignited to form a hot gas flow, and a turbine driven by the hot gas flow. Such gas turbine engines may also include a low-pressure turbine or power turbine for transmitting power generated by the compressor, combustor, and turbine to a driven component, such as a generator, for example. A gas turbine engine combined with an electrical generator may collectively make up a power generation unit, e.g., a gas turbine generator. Such power generation units generally provide alternating current to a power grid at a nominal frequency (e.g., 50 Hz or 60 Hz). At times, however, the power grid frequency may become disturbed and may vary from the nominal frequency. Such frequency disturbances may occur, for example, when power generation units are unexpectedly added or removed from a power grid, or when a load connected to the power grid is unexpectedly added or dropped. Unfortunately, a large load change on a utility grid or within an industrial facility can cause rapid destabilization of connected generators, particularly low inertia generators.